The Wounded and the Healed
by rain-on-my-soul
Summary: VXM eventually. just a little bit different take on episodes 24 and 25. r&r! [ON HOLD] WILL FINISH AFTER OTHER FICS ARE DONE!
1. wounds

** The Wounded and the Healed**

Disclaimer: I do not own…um what was it called again? Oh yeah! Trigun! I do not own Trigun. Cause we all know if I did, then Wolfwood would still be alive. So alas, I do not. But if anyone wants to sell it to me, I got a quarter!

A/n: K, I'll make this quick. I just randomly though of this while watching episodes 24 and 25 of Trigun. Here's just a different way things could have happened when Vash killed Legato. It starts off when Vash finds out Legato has got Meryl and Millie. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Wounds

A small gasp of pain escaped Meryl's lips. She was roughly pushed to the ground by one of Legato's mind-controlled minions. Her best friend and work partner lay in the golden dirt beside her. Meryl tried not to wince as pain shot up her shoulder from its rough contact with the ground.

Vash turned with fear in his emerald eyes. His breath was stopped in his dry throat, when he saw Meryl shoved to the ground. Millie was already down before her partner. Guns were pointed at the two insurance workers. Their barrels quivered, as if anticipating the kill. Vash turned to stare at the maniac who had created this death scene.

"Stop them! No more!" Vash pleaded with the blue-haired villain.

A single shot rang out. Smoke poured from one of the unwilling townsfolk's weapon. Meryl let out another gasp, as did Millie. Vash winced at the small sounds of fear. A bullet buried itself in the dirt next to Meryl's bruised shoulder.

"I said stop it now!" Vash hated to see friends die. He wouldn't let it happen. Not again.

Legato refused to yield. "Then shoot me!" he said. Vash was slowly forced to point his silver gun at Legato's temple. "It's alright, kill me. It's simple. All you need do, is pull the trigger. Once you have killed me, this'll all be over. Come on. Time to choose. You have free will." Legato calmly and coldly stated.

"Stop it. Don't make me shoot," Vash pleaded sadly. "Vash," he heard a faint whisper.

"Huh?" he gasped quietly and turned towards the sound. His fear filled green eyes met intense sapphire ones.

"Vash," Meryl whispered again. "Don't…don't kill him."

"B-but I have to save you two. Wh-what am I suppose to do?" Vash was on the verge of tears. His words came out in a whimper of uncertainty.

Meryl could tell he was confused and filled with hopelessness. She had to ease his fear. _'Oh Vash,'_ his pain smothered her heart.

"Don't kill him," she repeated. Meryl gently lifted her head. She pulled her knees under her with trouble. Hesitantly and with great care, Meryl was able to sit up. "We'll be fine," Meryl's eyes shown and she gave Vash a reassuring smile.

At this, a cold sensation hit her forehead. Meryl stared down the gray metallic barrel of steel pointed at her temple. Yet her smile never wavered and her eyes displayed no fear.

"Meryl," Vash whispered. He stared into the dark void of Legato's murderous eyes.

"Let their deaths be on your head, Vash the Stampede," Legato stated coldly.

Meryl stood up defiantly. Her smile of hope, still set into her lovely features. She was doing the only thing she could think of to help. If her death prevented others, then so be it.

"Vash, help them," Meryl whispered.

And in the next instant, Vash heard the most horrifying sound. The moment seemed to play in slow motion to Vash. A controlled finger pulled the trigger, and a bullet zoomed out of the mechanical contraption pointed towards the raven-haired women. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him, but Vash could swear Meryl moved a little to the left. Then he watched in horror as she fell to the ground and her whole body ceased to move.

"Meerrryyll!" Millie screamed. Wet tears streamed down her creamy skin.

It was all Vash needed. Legato's full concentration was on the one who had shot Meryl. He momentarily forgot his control over Vash. Legato was using all his power to make sure Vash's friend suffered.

In an instant, Vash had raised his pistol to the blue-haired man and hit him. Legato was knocked into a state of unconsciousness. His body crashed to the ground. Vash leered over Legato. He stared at the man coldly. Then Millie's sobs reached Vash's ears.

"M-m-merryyll, why? Why did you do that?" she screamed. Millie's tall frame shook violently with each sob. She had slowly crawled over to her friend's unmoving body. There she kneeled next to the petite insurance worker. Millie wanted to hug her friend, to hold her and cry her eyes out, but the ropes that bound her wouldn't allow it. Millie wanted to shake Meryl, as if she were only sleeping and if Millie shook hard enough Meryl would wake up. But all Millie could do was cry, cry for her best friend in all of Gunsmoke. Millie's wet tears poured down her face and landed in the dry dirt below her. The tears instantly vanished as the parched soil drank them up.

Vash's mind was reeling. His body was shaking rapidly. Emotions swam through him. Vash fell to his knees and clutched his head. Silent tears escaped from his emerald eyes. But Vash ignored them. He could only concentrate on one thing, his guilt.

'_I couldn't save her,' Vash thought sadly. 'I couldn't save her. She risked everything and now she's gone. Why did she do that? Why couldn't she have just stayed down? Meryl…' Vash's guilt consumed him. It was as if he had pulled the trigger himself. Vash could hear Legato laughing coldly in his mind. He could hear his brother's words echoing inside. And the pain, the pain tore at his beating heart. The pain brought about darkness, and the darkness filled the outlaw. Slowly the truth crept into him. It seeped everywhere inside him. Until the truth consumed him, the truth that she was dead. Meryl Strife was dead._

To be continued…

A/n: So do you like it? Rate and review to tell me. Catch ya next chapter:heart:


	2. author's note

**The Wounded and the Healed**

Author's note:

This story is currently postponed. I'm very, very sorry. I will work on it some more later. I absolutely promise. It's not dead, so don't worry.I'm just working on my other fics right now. It's kind of hard to do so many at a time, so I'm postponing a few. I was getting very confused and worried about updating faster.So you'll just have to wait. Meanwhile you can read my other fics that I am working on. Thanks!

-Rain-on-my-soul


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